I was a fashion buyer in Michigan, then a party goods buyer in Indianapolis and then I opened my own boutique in Indy. Unfortunately I had to close the boutique; had 2 babies and the shop was undercapitalized. I also found that it takes a long time for advertising to kick in, have people find you, as well as get sophisticated enough clientele to understand 'boutique vs. dept store.' It was a very challenging and enlightening experience, an enormous amount of work & heartbreaking to have to close it.

this is what i want to do. start as a buyer and then open a boutique. how many years of buying did you do before you opened your store and how many years was your store open?

also, did being a buyer make it alot easier to open shop? since you may already know some of the contacts for certain brands and such?

Hi everyone, I'm new here. I've been reading through this thread and I've found it extremely informative.

It is my goal to become a buyer. I am 20 years old and currently obtaining my AA degree (with an intended transfer major in Business), after which I will transfer to a university to earn a Bachelor degree. There are two possibilities for this degree and I'm hoping someone with knowledge of the business can advise me.

Also, I want to mention, I have studied fashion design in Paris for a year and a half, and I've been working in retail since I was 16. I have good SAT scores (1370) and so far I've maintained a 4.0 GPA.

1st option: Florida State University - BS Merchandisinghttp://www.chs.fsu.edu/tcs/undergraduate_merchandising.php
It sounds like the perfect degree for a buyer, but I am concerned it is too focused on textiles/fashion and not enough math and business? Also, I'm concerned that if a career in buying didn't work out, I would be limited by this very focused degree.

I have three questions about the Saks training program they have on their website.

1) It says the program starts in February. How early should I apply in advance?

2) The website says the program trains for a merchandising kind of position. What is the difference between merchandising and buying? I would like to be the one who goes to fashion shows and picks what things for the store. That's buying isn't it? If that's the case, what is merchandising?

3) Is the training program something like school where you go for a couple hours a day and then work at another part time job? Or is it all encompassing (ie a full day) and do you get paid for it?

Hi guys, I'm hoping you can help me with this: I really would like to be a fashion buyer one day so I am going to be doing a Marketing Management degree and I was wondering if that degree would help me in the direction of becoming a buyer?

Also, I live in South Africa so do you think companies overseas (i.e. UK and USA) would train me or should I get trained up here and try and get hired overseas?

1. as buyer, you are not being paid to shop and buy things you like. it's actually very hard to pull yourself back and think about the people who will buy the merchandise.

2. as a buyer, you are more of a number cruncher than fashion editor/stylist so get a business degree...finance and accounting is recommended. to be a buyer, a college degree is a MUST.

3. you need to get into it because you love it because the travels and the stress are overwhelming at times.

4. it's not as fun traveling as you may think because you never get to see the city. you usually fly in and fly out because there are tremendous amounts of work before and after the shows. i've never been able to go to a fashion show although i was invited because i usually dont have time for it.

5. all the sales people move for house to house so you MUST be nice to everyone at all times. they are the best contact you will have in the business. they are great resources. sales staff are your best friend.

I'm currently doing a presentation in my fashion class on being a merchandise buyer. i was given two questions that i had to ask someone who is in the field im focusing on. so, im looking for a buyer who is willing to answer 2 quick questions about their job. please pm me or reply to this and i will pm you myself if you are willing to help me out. thanks so much.

1. as buyer, you are not being paid to shop and buy things you like. it's actually very hard to pull yourself back and think about the people who will buy the merchandise.

2. as a buyer, you are more of a number cruncher than fashion editor/stylist so get a business degree...finance and accounting is recommended. to be a buyer, a college degree is a MUST.

3. you need to get into it because you love it because the travels and the stress are overwhelming at times.

4. it's not as fun traveling as you may think because you never get to see the city. you usually fly in and fly out because there are tremendous amounts of work before and after the shows. i've never been able to go to a fashion show although i was invited because i usually dont have time for it.

5. all the sales people move for house to house so you MUST be nice to everyone at all times. they are the best contact you will have in the business. they are great resources. sales staff are your best friend.

6. final reminder...once it becomes your job, it's not as fun.

excellent advice
from my brief experience, being a buyer is certainly not a piece of cake